Merchandise event monitoring via wireless tracking

• US 9,443,218 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Stiefel, Thomas E., Wilkinson, Bruce W., Jones, Nicholaus A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/862,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20140306804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 105, 340/572.1, 340/5.92, 235/385, 235/375, 235/383, 700/236, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Item movement is determined via wireless tracking using RFID data from at least one RFID reader. The RFID data associates RFID tag information with each antenna of the RFID reader that receives the tag information. At least one processor is configured to identify a first appearance of unique tag information in the RFID data. Items may be grouped when their first appearance in RFID data and their antenna association indicates that they first appear in a location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by RFID data, and/or when they have all moved from a previous location within a predetermined amount of time, as indicated by different RFID data. A group designation comprises the relevant unique tag information, which may be stored in memory along with a time stamp.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a group merchandise event via wireless tracking comprising:

receiving first RFID data from a first RFID reader comprising at least one first antenna, wherein the first RFID data associates first tag information of a first RFID tag with the at least one first antenna that read the first tag information;

receiving second RFID data from a second RFID reader comprising at least one second antenna, wherein the second RFID data associates second tag information of a second RFID tag with the at least one second antenna that read the second tag information;

identifying, by a processor in communication with the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader, a first appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

identifying, by the processor, an appearance of the first unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of second unique tag information in the first RFID data within a predetermined time of the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

checking, by the processor, for an appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data;

designating, by the processor, in response to the appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data is found, a first group comprising the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information;

storing in memory a first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, a first time index indicating a time when the first group is designated, and a first event indicator indicating formation of a first group;

checking, by the processor, the first RFID data for an appearance of the first unique tag information and for an appearance of the second unique tag information; and

storing, in memory, in response to both the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information appearing in the first RFID data for a second predetermined time, (i) the first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, (ii) a second time index indicating a time when the first group is terminated, and (iii) a second event indicator indicating the termination of the first group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking, by the processor, the first RFID data for an appearance of the first unique tag information and for an appearance of the second unique tag information; and

storing, in memory, in response to the first RFID data no appearance of either the first unique tag information or the second unique tag information for a second predetermined time limit, the first group designation, a second time index, and a second event indicator, wherein the second event indicator indicates the termination of the first group.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of first unique tag information in a third RFID data;

identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of second unique tag information in a fourth RFID data;

checking, by the processor, for an appearance of the first unique tag information in the fourth RFID data;

checking, by the processor, for an appearance of the second unique tag information in the third RFID data;

terminating the first group comprising the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information in response to the third RFID data comprising no appearance of the second unique tag information and the fourth RFID data comprises no appearance of the first unique tag information for a second predetermined time limit; and

storing in memory the first group designation, a second event indicator, and a second time index, wherein the second event indicator indicates the termination of the first group.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving third RFID data from a third RFID reader comprising at least one third antenna configured to read tag information of an RFID tag, wherein the third RFID data associates tag information with the at least one third antenna that read the tag information, wherein the at least one third antenna and the at least one first antenna have non-overlapping read zones;

identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of first unique tag information and a first appearance of second unique tag information in the third RFID data within a second predetermined time; and

checking whether the first appearance of first unique tag information in the third RFID data occurred within a second predetermined time of the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the third RFID data; and

checking whether the first appearances in the third RFID data occurred within a third predetermined time of an appearance of the first unique tag information or the second unique tag information in the first RFID data; and

if the first appearances in the third RFID data occurred within the second predetermined time and the third predetermined time, storing in memory the first group designation, a second time index, and a second event indicator that indicates a group movement.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

calculating by at least one processor a confidence score based on a comparison of the appearances of the tag information in the first RFID data, and the second RFID data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

analyzing, by the processor, a plurality of second event indicators to identify a traffic flow pattern within a facility.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

triggering, by the processor, an alert based on the second event indicator.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the alert to an inventory management system.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein triggering an alert further comprises:

triggering, by the processor, an alert based on the second event indicator and the tag information of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering, by the processor, the first RFID data to eliminate shadow data.

11. A system for determining item movement via wireless tracking comprising:

a first RFID reader having at least one first antenna configured for receiving RFID tag information, the first RFID reader generating first RFID data that associates first tag information of a first RFID tag with each of the at least one first antenna that reads the first tag information;

a second RFID reader having at least one second antenna configured for receiving RFID data, the second RFID reader generating second RFID data that associates second tag information of a second RFID tag with each of the at least one second antenna that reads the second tag information;

at least one processor in communication with the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader and configured to;

receive the first RFID data and the second RFID data;

to identify a first appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

identify an appearance of the first unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

identify a first appearance of second unique tag information in the first RFID data within a predetermined time of the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data;

check for an appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data; and

,

designate a first group comprising the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information in response to the appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data is found;

a memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor to store a first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, a first time index indicating a time when the first group is designated, and a first event indicator indicating formation of a first group;

the processor is further configured to compare, the first RFID data associations of tag information of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag; and

when the first RFID data associations of tag information of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag do not change within a second predetermined time, the processor stores, in memory, (i) the first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, (ii) a second time index indicating a time when the first group is terminated, and (iii) a second event indicator indicating termination of the first group.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to check, the first RFID data for tag information of the first RFID tag and the second RFID tag;

and

the memory operatively coupled to at least one processor to store the first group designation, a second time index, and a second event indicator when the first RFID data does not include tag information of the first RFID tag or the second RFID tag, for a third predetermined time limit, wherein the second event indicator indicates the termination of the first group.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured:

to receive a third RFID data from a third RFID reader comprising at least one third antenna, wherein the first RFID data associates tag information of an RFID tag with at least one third antenna that read the tag information;

to identify a first appearance of first unique tag information and a first appearance of second unique tag information in the third RFID data;

to check whether the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the third RFID data occurred within a second predetermined time of the first appearance of second unique tag information in the third RFID data;

to check whether the first appearances in the third RFID data occurred within a third predetermined time of an appearance of the first unique tag information or the second unique tag information in the first RFID data; and

if the first appearances in the third RFID data occured within the second predetermined time and the third predetermined time, to cause the first group designation, a second time index, and a second event indicator that indicates a group movement to be stored in the memory.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a confidence score based on a comparison of the appearances of the tag information in the first RFID data, and the second RFID data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze, a plurality of second event indicators to identify a traffic flow pattern within a facility.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger, an alert based on the second event indicator.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the alert to an inventory management system.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger an alert based on the second event indicator and the tag information of the first RFID tag, and the second RFID tag.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to filter, the first RFID data to eliminate shadow data.

20. A method of monitoring a group merchandise event via wireless tracking comprising:

receiving first RFID data from a first RFID reader comprising a plurality of antennas, wherein plurality of antennas comprise a first antenna and a second antenna having non-overlapping read zones, wherein the first RFID data associates tag information of an RFID tag with each of the plurality of antennas that read the tag information;

identifying, by a processor in communication with the first RFID reader, a first appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna;

identifying, by a processor, an appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the second antenna prior to the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna;

identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of second unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna within a predetermined time of the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna;

checking, by the processor, for an appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the second antenna prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna;

designating, by the processor, a first group comprising the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information in response to the appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the second antenna prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data associated with the first antenna is found;

storing in memory a first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, a first time index indicating a time when the first group is designated, and a first event indicator indicating formation of a first group

checking, by the processor, the first RFID data for tag information; and

when the first RFID data does not include the first unique tag information or the second unique tag information for a predetermined time limit, storing in memory (i) the first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, (ii) a second time index indicating a time when the first group is terminated, and (iii) a second event indicator indicating the termination of the first group.